Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja NIGERIA.DEFENSE and Security Studies Directorate.

Despite abundant natural and human resources, Nigeria continues to face significant development challenges, including widespread poverty, unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, and unequal access to essential social services. While successive governments have introduced numerous policies and development programmes aimed at promoting economic growth and improving citizens' welfare, development outcomes have remained uneven and below expectations. This paper examines how governance and institutional capacity influence sustainable development in Nigeria. Anchored on Modernization Theory, the study explores the role of effective institutions, policy implementation, technological advancement, and accountable governance in driving national development. Using a qualitative research design, the study relies on secondary data obtained from peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, policy documents, and publications from international development organisations. The findings reveal that the major constraints to sustainable development in Nigeria are not merely the absence of policies but persistent weaknesses in implementation, institutional inefficiency, corruption, policy inconsistency, and limited accountability mechanisms. The paper argues that sustainable development requires a shift from policy formulation to results-oriented implementation supported by strong institutions and citizen participation. It concludes that strengthening governance, improving transparency, promoting institutional accountability, and ensuring continuity in development planning are essential for achieving inclusive and sustainable development in Nigeria.